THE increase in unemployment eased slightly last month, according to official figures released on Wednesday (October 14).The number of people claiming Jobseeker s Allowance in the UK rose by 20,800 to 1.63million in September, according to the Office for National Sta

THE increase in unemployment eased slightly last month, according to official figures released on Wednesday.

The number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance in the UK rose by 20,800 to 1.63million in September, according to the Office for National Statistics - the lowest increase since May last year.

The broader measure of total unemployment, which includes those not eligible for benefit, remained virtually static at 2.47 million in the three months to August, with a rise of 88,000.

At local level, Uttlesford district saw a decline of 76 to 909 (2.1 per cent), but despite the downward dip compared with August, the new figures still mean that unemployment in Essex as a whole is 13,698 higher.